Thomas rhoads



@uitten gisten gianni @ffice THOMAS RHOADS, OF OTTAWA, ILLINOIS.

'Letters .Patent No. 73,041, dated January 7, 1868, 4

IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR SEPARAIING GOLD FROM CRES.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONOERN:

Be it known that I, THOMAS RiIoADs, of Ottawa, in the county of Ila Salle,in the State of Illinois, have invented a new and improved Apparatus for Separating Gold from Quartz or other Ores; and I do hereby declare that the following isafull and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters ofv reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in a novel manner of' feeding the crushed quartz or gold ore into a. vseparator or amalgamator, whereby the feeding is continuous, andnvolves lhut little labor, at the same time feeding the ore at the bottom of the vessel containing' the mercury or heated lead. v

My invention further consists in providing a novel uleans for keeping the crushed ore in contact with the mercury or lead for a long time, and continually moving, inA order to enable the latter to extract or appropriate as much as possible of the gold contained in the ore. i

My invention further consists in providing a means for heating the ore before it comes in contact with the lead, when lead is use'd, in order that the lead may not be `chilled, and thus the operation can be conducted more rapidly.

To'enable others skilled in the arts to make and use my invention, I will proceed to give a full and exact description thereof. i

Corresponding letters in the drawings represent corresponding parts.

Figure 1 'is a horizontal pian o t the apparatus. i

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the apparatus. l a

I construct a kettle of sheet or cast iron, A, cylindrical in form,- said k'ettle A having an iron worm or helix, B, in the inside, fitting against the interior side of the kettle A, and having a space in the centre to receive the pipe D. Said pipe D contains a double helix, C; terminating with' cylindrical ends, running in journals, and having at the upper part a pulley, E, to receive motive-power. T the pipe D is attached a side branch-pipe, F, provided with a funnel at the outer end, vinto which the ore is fed, either with aL shovel or by the cart-load. This apparatus is enclosed in brick-work, consistingmt` a furnace, G, a flue, H, and a. chimney, I.

The mode of operation is as follows: The kettle A being iillcd with lead at a. moulding-heat, and kept fluidby a fire ignitedin the furnace Gr, finely-pulverizcd gold ore or quartz is poured into the pipe F. At the Sametime a rotary motion is given to the double helix 0, iu the pre-per direction to make it feed downwards. The ore being forced down into the lead, will, on account of its less specific gravity, rise upwards in the latter,`bnt is prevented from rising too rapidly by the worm or helix B, along which the ore has to glide'in its upward progress, and, While on this transit, will expose every part of its surface to the action of the lead.

When the separation of the gold from the orc is effected with mercury, the operation is exactly alike, except that the fire is dispensed with. i

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is v The inside double helix C, the helix B, inside kettle A, the feed-pipe F, and the heating-Hue H, when in combination with cach other-,constructed substantially as and forthe purpose described in the foregoing speciiication.

THOMAS RHOADS.

Witnesses;

E.I Ross, A. F. JAQUEs. 

